10,000 Jobs Over 10 Years-For The Third Day Running VeryHappyPig Kicks Off WIth Good Job News

Updated : May 27, 2009

Plans for a £1bn (€1.14bn) investment which developers say could produce up to 10,000 jobs in the North in the next 10 years were unveiled today.

Development organisation GML Estates – the Belfast division of the Orana Group based in the Channel Islands – said a number of regions across the province had been identified for the projects, some of which were already being considered by the planners.

GML chairman John Farmer said: “Overall, our programme for investment and development, which has received enthusiastic support from our international investment partners, will ultimately and realistically provide up to 10,000 sustainable new job opportunities over a 10-year period.

“This must be good news in a climate where job losses have been so prevalent over the past number of months.”

Mr Farmer, whose group draws funding from a range of sources including Europe and North America, said it had earmarked locations in the North West such as Derry, Limavady, Strabane and Omagh as well as others in Belfast, Larne and Banbridge for a range of major schemes which he said would bring “significant community and economic dividends” over the next decade.

He urged the statutory authorities and local communities to “seize the moment” and do their bit to bring the schemes to reality.

He said they would help the ailing construction industry and provide a major long-term boost to the local community through jobs, especially for the younger generation.

“This is a real opportunity that will bring real prospects of employment and facilities to all sections of this community,” said Mr Farmer.

He added: “We have a number of exciting gateway schemes planned which, when viewed in totality, will bring significant infrastructural benefit to the province as a whole.”

GML developed the award-winning Outlet centre outside Banbridge, Co Down, and he said it was the first of a number of planned developments for which it provided the blueprint.

The common denominator was opportunity, jobs, economic benefit and substantial community dividends which would otherwise not be delivered, said Mr Farmer.

“For example, Opportunity Omagh, a £300m (€343m) mixed-use development currently awaiting the go-ahead from Planning Service, will bring 2,000 new jobs once completed in a development including leisure, offices, healthcare, retail, sports facilities and a hotel.

“We are committed to ensure that the local communities benefit directly by our investment proposals. We will subscribe to local employment partnerships and local construction charters so that we can, wherever possible, make the greatest economic impact on the resident community from day one of the project commencing.”